Watch Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow

Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow is a documentary film that explores the history, achievements, and current endeavors of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The film is directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy, and was released in 2018 to commemorate NASA's 60th anniversary. The movie traces NASA's origins back to the Cold War era when Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik provoked the United States to accelerate its space program. The early days of NASA saw the launch of the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, into space, followed by astronaut John Glenn's historic orbit around the Earth.

Throughout the film, viewers are taken on a journey through the decades, exploring key moments in NASA's history, such as the Apollo missions that saw astronauts, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, walk on the moon. Footage and interviews from the Apollo era provide an insight into the determination and ingenuity that it took to achieve such a feat.

The film then moves on to examine the Space Shuttle program, which launched in 1981, and revolutionized space travel by making it more accessible to scientists and astronauts. The challenges and triumphs of the program are depicted through interviews with astronauts who were a part of four decades of shuttle flights.

Above and Beyond also delves into the International Space Station (ISS), providing a glimpse into what life is like for astronauts living in space indefinitely. The ISS serves as an international collaboration between space agencies around the world and offers a platform to conduct research and experiments that benefit humanity.

Alongside highlighting NASA's accomplishments, Above and Beyond also focuses on NASA's ambitions for the future. The film emphasizes NASA's efforts to send humans to Mars, with insights from scientists and astronauts on what it would take to make such a mission a success. The movie also highlights the ways that NASA is working to understand our own planet with its Earth Science program.

One of the central themes of Above and Beyond is the continuous innovation that drives NASA's mission. The pursuit of knowledge and understanding the universe we live in is what motivates scientists and astronauts to undertake arduous journeys into space. The film acknowledges the risks and sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of these goals but also depicts the exhilarating nature of exploration.

Throughout the film, archival footage is combined with modern-day interviews with NASA's scientists and astronauts, providing an insight into the past and present of space exploration. The movie's highly immersive visuals and impactful music make Above and Beyond a compelling and inspiring tribute to NASA's legacy and future.

In conclusion, Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow is a must-watch documentary for anyone interested in space exploration, science, and innovation. The film offers an insightful look at NASA's history, achievements, and ambitions, highlighting the agency's dedication to exploration and the pursuit of knowledge. Rory Kennedy's direction and production make the documentary both visually captivating and intellectually stimulating. Above and Beyond stands as a testament to NASA's remarkable achievements while propelling us to consider what could be next as we look to a future where humans can explore new frontiers beyond our planet.

Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.